Welcome to the online Rainwater Harvesting Design Application! We are thrilled to have you on board as we embark on a journey to reduce risks associated with agriculture in dry areas and rehabilitate degraded pastoral agricultural systems.

In today's world, where water scarcity is on the rise, relying on rainfall to meet our agricultural water needs has become crucial. Rainwater harvesting plays a pivotal role in areas where direct rainfall alone is insufficient for economic and stable rainfed agriculture. However, the shortage of skilled individuals proficient in planning, designing, implementing, and managing water harvesting systems is a pressing challenge. That's where you come in.

This manual has been specifically developed to address this need and enhance the skills of agricultural field workers like yourself. By equipping you with the knowledge and expertise to effectively implement rainwater harvesting practices, we aim to increase the adoption of this important technique. Moreover, this manual will aid extension officers and other practitioners in providing comprehensive training to farmers, ensuring the widespread dissemination of this valuable practice.

Designed to be user-friendly and accessible, this manual serves as a comprehensive guide for trainers to deliver effective training sessions on rainwater harvesting in dry environments. Its applicability extends beyond the boundaries of a specific region, making it a valuable resource for similar environments worldwide. Whether you're an extension officer, technician, agricultural engineer, or a university student specializing in agricultural water management, this manual will captivate your interest. Government officials grappling with water scarcity and agricultural development will find immense value in this manual as it raises awareness about the potential of rainwater harvesting for water savings and efficient water use in agriculture.

Focusing on micro-catchment techniques, the manual primarily explores methods to increase on-farm water supply for cropping. While it also provides insights into other techniques like macro-catchments, cisterns, rooftop systems, and farm reservoirs, the planning, design, and implementation sections primarily revolve around the storage of water in the crop soil profile—a simpler and more cost-effective storage solution.

It's important to note that this manual is not an academic document or a textbook. Instead, it is a practical, step-by-step process tailored for technicians and field workers like you. While it draws on data and examples from temperate arid and semi-arid environments, it has been meticulously designed to facilitate practical sessions with minimum additional local data. Rest assured, the data provided is sufficient to design a functional system, and more precise site-specific data, although beneficial, will only marginally affect the main parameters.

Within this manual, you'll find a wealth of information, including a general description of various rainwater harvesting methods, selection criteria to aid in choosing suitable techniques, and a simplified design process accessible to non-specialists. To illustrate this process, three design examples are presented: shrubs in rangelands, trees in rainfed systems, and field crops in dry agroecosystems. The manual also delves into implementation and management, ensuring you comprehensively understand the entire process.

As a trainee, you'll be empowered to select from four major micro-catchment water harvesting techniques: contour ridges, semicircular bunds, runoff basins, and runoff strips. Additionally, you'll gain proficiency in determining and utilizing key design parameters such as crop water requirements, soil storage capacity, runoff coefficients, catchment target ratios, and other essential system components. By the end of your training, you'll be able to design your own projects and effectively layout techniques on both maps and land, comprehend their functionality, and manage and maintain them efficiently.

We understand that the learning process outlined in this manual is intricate, and therefore, we recommend allocating sufficient time for training sessions. We suggest a minimum of one week for optimal results, with five hours of daily sessions encompassing both classroom and field activities. During these sessions, feel free to utilize available illustrations, such as photos and figures, to familiarize yourself with the visual aspects of the system. PowerPoint slides can be employed, but we encourage interaction and engagement through the use of a whiteboard, particularly when calculating equations.

For the design process, an interactive approach is key. You'll be tasked with designing your own projects, and tools like maps can aid in developing your capacity to lay out systems on paper. To enhance your practical skills, you'll have the opportunity to implement example systems in the field under the supervision of your trainer. In the field, a simple tool like the "carpenter transparent hose with two poles" can be prepared and practiced, and additional equipment such as a tractor or a "Vallerani plow" (if available) may prove useful. Visiting an already functioning system will provide you with a complete picture of the possibilities.

To facilitate the implementation of your learnings, we have developed this Online Application Examples to a RAINWATER HARVESTING DESIGN APPLICATION specifically developed for trained individuals like yourself. This application will guide you step-by-step, providing data, illustrations, and instructions for each stage of the design process.

Once again, we warmly welcome you as you embark on this journey of rainwater harvesting. Your commitment to mastering these techniques will be vital in combating water scarcity and advancing agricultural development. Let this manual be your companion, empowering you to make a positive impact in dry environments. Happy learning!